Foundation garment construction and stay means therefor



Aug. 1, 1961 G. w. GEISSMANN 2,994,325

FOUNDATION GARMENT CONSTRUCTION AND STAY MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 23, 1957 INVEIY TOR. Gladys W. Gelssmann BY 1 ATTORNEY United States This invention relates to foundation garment constructions and stay devices incorporated therein.

Many styles of foundation garments incorporate stays, often called boning, to add additional support and to prevent rolling or curling of edges. For example, brassieres and girdles have for many years depended for alignment and support on bones of metal or other stiff material sewn into the garment to keep the body fabric from sagging. Characteristically these bones take the form of narrow strips vertically disposed in the garments and not infrequently they result in discomfort and sometimes injury to the wearer because they poke into the flesh, particularly when the wearer is in motion.

Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide a foundation garment having stays incorporated therein in a manner which minimizes the possibility of the wearers being jabbed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved stay configuration which accomplishes the desired support and strengthening of the garments without the attendant discomfort of conventional strip-like stays.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment stay which is capable of dispersing its thrust forces over a relatively large fabric area, thereby to reduce abrasion and wear.

Another object of the invention is to provide a garment incorporating stays which are able to accommodate movement of the wearer without discomfort.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a foundation garment such as a girdle, brassiere, or the like, the critical areas of which are supported by stay means which curve away from their longitudinal axes in such manner that body movements which would normally result in the wearers being jabbed do not occur. The stay portion can be incorporated in a brassiere, for example in the side and front portions, at a slight angle to the vertical with one or both of the ends of the stay curving away toward the horizontal. In this fashion, as the wearer bends forward, the side stay is rocked forward, rolling on its lower rounded edge, so that its upper end is able to yield with the garment without jabbing the wearer beneath the arm. Similarly, a stay of like configuration can be incorporated at the sides of the waistband of the girdle to impart rigidity and form thereto, while at the same time pivoting forward when the wearer bends at the waist.

Representative embodiments of the invention from which the above and other features and objects will be apparent are described below having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of a brassiere construction as it would be seen on a wearer;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of a portion of a brassiere showing part of the front and one full side section;

FIGURE 3 is a side view of a portion of a human figure wearing a foundation garment incorporating the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a side view showing the action of a single stay for various postures of the wearer;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of a girdle construction embodying stays in the waist portion; and

FIGURE 5A is a side view showing the action of the ice garment of FIGURE 5 when the wearer bends forward at the waist.

Referring to the drawing, and to FIGURE 1 in particular, the invention is illustrated as embodied in a brassiere indicated generally by the numeral 10 including a bodyencircling portion 11 supporting cup portions 12, and, if desired, shoulder straps. The side section 11a of the body portion 11 is formed with a pocket 14, in which is fitted a stay 15 formed of sheet material which affords a certain degree of flexibility in directions normal to its plane and which affords considerable stiffness against bending in its own plane. The stay can be formed, for example, of plastic, coated metal, or the like, it being preferred in general that it be capable of withstanding the heat of laundering. The pocket 14 and stay 15 are generally the same configuration with the longitudinal axis being disposed at a slight forward angle to the vertical when in position on the wearer. The upper, forward end 15a is rounded and curved forward in its own plane, the upper portion thereby forming a larger angle with the vertical. The lower, rearmost end 15b is gently rounded on a generous are on its lower edge and is also curved away from the longitudinal axis of the stay 15 toward the horizontal. If desired, the pocket portion 14- can be formed with a flap or other access opening (not shown) for removing the stay.

Referring to FIGURE .2, in which parts generally similar to those of FIGURE 1 are identified by like, primed reference numerals, there is illustrated a brassiere 10' including in addition to the stay 15' a second stay 16 fitted in a pocket portion 17 at the front extending up wardly from a point beneath the left-hand cup portion 12' to a point between the two cup portions. As in the case of the stay 15', the stay 16 includes an upper end 16a which curves away from the longitudinal axis of the stay toward the horizontal and a lower end 16b which also curves away from the longitudinal axis toward the horizontal in the opposite direction from the upper end 16a.

In the arrangement of FIGURE 3 there is illustrated a foundation garment :18 including a brassiere portion 19 at its upper end. At the sides of the garment in the area extending generally between the hips and the arms there are formed pockets 20 in which stays 21 are fitted. The longitudinal axis of the stays 21, which are somewhat longer than the stays 15 and 15', inclines forward from the vertical with respect to the wearers standing erect. The upper end 21a, which terminates close to the upper edge of the garment, is rounded and curved forward at a greater angle to the vertical, and the lower end 21b, which terminates above the hip area, is rounded at its lower edge on a relatively large radius of curvature and is curved outwardly at an angle toward the horizontal in the opposite direction from the upper end 21a.

The operation of the stays 15, 15', and 21 of FIG- URES 1-3 is best described in their action having reference to FIGURE 4, showing a stay 22 in three successive positions which it assumes when the wearer bends at the waist. In the process the stay rocks around its generously rounded lower edge 23, thereby in effect shortening its overall length with respect to the garment it is supporting. Due to the oppositely curved upper and lower ends 22a and 22b respectively, particularly the latter, the stay rocks forwardly. This, coupled with the fact that both the upper and lower edges are rounded to afford an increased bearing surface, tends to prevent the stay from poking into the flesh of the wearer, while at the same time imparting vertical support to the garment as well as lateral restraint against rolling or curling of its edges. The relatively larger bearing surfaces afforded by the rounded and curved ends also disperse the stresses normally imposed by the stay over a larger area of the fabric, thereby eliminating wear points at these critical locations. While the rocking effect of the stay is most pronounced in the critical area between the hips and the arms at the sides of the garment, whether it be a brassiere or a foundation garment incorporating a brassiere at its upper end, the invention also has utility at other strategic points, such, for example, as the area beneath and between the cup portions.

Another strategic location to which the present invention can be applied is the side waistband area of a girdle as illustrated by FIGURES 5 and 5A in which the girdle, indicated generally by the numeral 24, includes a rela tively wide waistband portion 25 in the sides of which are incorporated stays 26 sewn into the garment in pockets 27. The longitudinal axes of the stays 26 are disposed at a slight forward angle to the vertical, as viewed on the wearer, and include upper end portions 26a which incline further forward at a larger angle to the vertical and lower end portions 26b which are rounded and curved rearwardly at a larger angle to the vertical. In the case of both the upper and lower ends 26a and 26b, there is an increased bearing surface at the extremities which disperses the load over a greater fabric area. The inherent stability of the stay 26 against bending in its own plane affords an upper thrust against the upper edge of the girdle 24 which serves to hold it in position against downward sliding movement. The lateral flexibility of the stay 26 is also suificient to prevent rolling or curling of this edge. When the wearer bends forward, as illustrated in FIGURE 5A, the stay 26 complies with the motion by rocking forward to decrease, in effect, the distance between the upper and lower edges of the waistband.

While the invention has been described above having reference to several preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it can take various forms and arrangements and should not, therefore, be regarded as limited except as defined in the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a foundation garment having a body portion encircling at least a portion of the body of the wearer, stay means in said body portion comprising stiffening members adapted to terminate at their lower ends adjacent an outwardly extending body portion, each comprising a substantially flat elongated member of sheet material having resilience for flexing in directions normal to its flat surfaces and affording stiffness against bending in its own plane, each elongated stay having its longitudinal axis inclined to the vertical, said member having its lower end rounded and curved in its own plane away from the longitudinal axis and in the direction of inclination to form a larger angle with the vertical to define a rounded, rocking surface.

2. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 1, said body portion including pocket means to receive said stay means.

3. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 2, said pocket means including access means whereby the stay means is releasably mounted in the pocket means.

4. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 1, said garment comprising a girdle and said body-encircling portion a waistband, said stay means being mounted in the waistband at the sides of the garment in the waistband.

5. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 4, said stay means extending downwardly and rearwardly from the top of the waistband, said curved end portion being disposed at the lower end of the stay.

6. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 5, said stay means having its upper end rounded and curved in its own plane away from the longitudinal axis in the opposite direction from the lower end.

7. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 1, said garment comprising a brassiere, said stay means inclining forwardly upwardly along the sides of the garment at an angle to the vertical to a point adjacent the arm of the wearer.

8. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 7, the rounded and curved end being the lower end and the direction of curvature being rearward, whereby the stay means rocks forwardly on a curved edge as the wearer bends forward.

9. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 8, said stay means having its upper end rounded and curved in its own plane away from the longitudinal axis in the opposite direction from said lower end.

10. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 7, said stay means being at least partially beneath the cup portions.

11. In a foundation garment having a body portion encircling at least a portion of the body of the wearer, stay means in said body portion comprising stiffening members adapted to terminate at their lower ends adjacent an outwardly extending body portion, each comprising a substantially flat elongated member of sheet material having resilience for flexing in directions normal to its flat surfaces and affording stiffness against bending in its own plane, said member having one of its ends rounded and curved in its own plane away from the longitudinal axis in one direction and having its other end rounded and curved in its own plane away from the longitudinal axis in the other direction.

12. A foundation garment stay comprising a substantially flat, elongated member of sheet material having resilience for flexing in directions normal to its fiat surfaces and affording stiffness against bending in its own plane, said member having one of its ends rounded and curved in its own plane away from the longitudinal axis in one direction and having its other end rounded and curved in its own plane away from the longitudinal axis in the other direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 930,217 McCormick Aug. 3, 1909 1,665,502 Kellogg Apr. 10, 1928 2,508,580 Mixon May 23, 1950 2,553,036 Christensen May 15, 1951 2,737,660 Holscher Mar. 13, 1956 2,786,205 Payne Mar. 26, 1957 

